Course 2.6 ANXIETY & STRESS
#1 STRESS
Learning Goals: 1) What is stress? #physical symptoms; How can we measure stress? What
happens in the body? #physical systems #reflex
2) What defines good stress? How do we cope w/ stress? What are the factors
influencing stress?
ARTICLE 1
Stress – Its meaning, impact, and sources
by E. Sarafino
WHAT IS STRESS?
- has 2 components: physical (= involving direct material or bodily challenge) & psychological (= involving how individuals
perceive circumstances in their lives)
= the circumstance in which transactions lead a person to perceive a discrepancy between the physical/psychological
demands of a situation & the resources of his/her biological, psychological, or social systems
- a demand resource, or discrepancy may be either real or just believed to exist
- stress often results from inaccurate perceptions of discrepancies between environmental demands & the actual
resources (stress is in the eye of the beholder)
APPRAISING EVENTS AS STRESSFUL
- Cognitive Appraisal
= a mental process by which people assess 2 factors: 1) primary appraisal -> whether a demand threatens their
physical or psychological well-being & 2) secondary appraisal -> the resources available for meeting the demand
Primary Appraisal
- encountering potentially stressful circumstances we first try to assess the meaning of the situation for our well-being
(primary appraisal); seeks answers to for e.g.: “Will I be ok or in trouble?”
- could yield one of the 3 judgements:
#1 STRESS
Learning Goals: 1) What is stress? #physical symptoms; How can we measure stress? What
happens in the body? #physical systems #reflex
2) What defines good stress? How do we cope w/ stress? What are the factors
influencing stress?
ARTICLE 1
Stress – Its meaning, impact, and sources
by E. Sarafino
WHAT IS STRESS?
- has 2 components: physical (= involving direct material or bodily challenge) & psychological (= involving how individuals
perceive circumstances in their lives)
= the circumstance in which transactions lead a person to perceive a discrepancy between the physical/psychological
demands of a situation & the resources of his/her biological, psychological, or social systems
- a demand resource, or discrepancy may be either real or just believed to exist
- stress often results from inaccurate perceptions of discrepancies between environmental demands & the actual
resources (stress is in the eye of the beholder)
APPRAISING EVENTS AS STRESSFUL
- Cognitive Appraisal
= a mental process by which people assess 2 factors: 1) primary appraisal -> whether a demand threatens their
physical or psychological well-being & 2) secondary appraisal -> the resources available for meeting the demand
Primary Appraisal
- encountering potentially stressful circumstances we first try to assess the meaning of the situation for our well-being
(primary appraisal); seeks answers to for e.g.: “Will I be ok or in trouble?”
- could yield one of the 3 judgements:
